Due to the limited availability and expense of natural leathers, numerous composite sheet materials have been developed which simulate the appearance and physical properties of certain natural leathers. Such synthetic leather products find wide commercial use as a substitute for natural leathers in the production of various articles such as shoes, pocketbooks, wearing apparel, and accessories.
Certain patents directed to imitation leather materials include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,017,656; 3,865,622; 3,906,131; 4,349,597; and 4,341,832. U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,132 discloses a flocked fabric particularly useful as outerwear wherein a napped textile substrate fabric is coated with an adhesive resin and flocked fibers are embedded therein. The patent states that the napped surface of the fabric prevents the unfoamed adhesive resin layer from substantially penetrating the fiber backing and thus enhances drapability and tear strength of the product. Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,832 discloses the production of a composite sheet material having the appearance, drape, hand, and water absorption and retention characteristics of natural chamois leather. Opposed napped faces of a reinforcing textile fabric are coated with a highly water absorbent, soft poly (acrylonitrile-butadiene) foam layer, and the outer surfaces of the porous foam layers are discontinuously overcoated with a water-insoluble, film-forming urethane polymer to provide reduced surface tack without appreciable loss of the water absorbing capabilities of the material. The synthetic chamois product is particularly suited for use as a wiping cloth for cleaning and removing liquids from smooth surfaces, such as automobile bodies and glass and plastic surfaces.
Although the aforementioned patents illustrate various composite sheet materials which simulate the appearance of leathers or animal furs, there is a continuing need to provide further improvements in such composite sheet materials for particular end uses.